Aims and objectives: To compare and rank the efficacy and safety of nonpharmacological interventions in the management of labour pain. Background: Recently, various non-pharmacological interventions have been applied to manage labour pain and have shown positive effects. However, evidence identifying which type of non-pharmacological intervention is more efficient and safer is limited. Design: Systematic review and Bayesian network meta-analysis based on PRISMA-NMA. Methods: Seven databases were searched from database inception-March 2020. Two reviewers independently performed study selection, quality appraisal and data extraction. Conventional meta-analysis was conducted using either fixed-effects model or random-effects model according to statistical heterogeneity. The Bayesian network meta-analysis was conducted using the consistency model. Results: 43 studies involving nine non-pharmacological interventions were included. The Bayesian network meta-analysis showed that acupressure (SMD = −2.00, 95% CrI −3.09 to −0.94), aromatherapy (SMD = −2.01, 95% CrI −3.70 to −0.35) and massage therapy (SMD = −1.26, 95% CrI −2.26 to −0.30) had significant positive effects on alleviating labour pain, with aromatherapy being the most effective. The results also revealed that yoga (SMD = −130.85, 95% CrI −212.01 to −59.32) and acupressure (SMD = −10.14, 95% CrI −20.24 to −0.41) were the most effective interventions for shortening the first stage and the second stage of labour, respectively. There were no significant differences between non-pharmacological interventions and usual care or placebo control on the use of pharmacological methods and neonatal 5-min Apgar score.
Conclusions:The evidence in this network meta-analysis illustrates that nonpharmacological interventions are effective and safe for labour pain management in low-risk pregnant women. In the future, well-designed studies are needed to validate the conclusion of this network meta-analysis.
Relevance to clinical practice:The results support the use of non-pharmacological interventions, especially aromatherapy and acupressure, to relieve labour pain in